Practices and health perception of preparation of Brassica vegetables: translating survey data to technological and nutritional implications

Abstract

Food preparation practices are known to have large nutritional implications on the final product. This article describes survey data on preparation practices of Brassica vegetables and the translation of these data into technological and nutritional implications using knowledge on the mechanisms of changes in the content of phytochemicals. The survey on preparation practices was performed with food service establishments (n = 123) and households (n = 477) in Semarang, Indonesia, and assessed the food handlers’ perception of the health benefits of these vegetables. Boiling and stir-frying are the most frequently applied techniques to prepare Brassicas. The respondents perceive that steaming, boiling, and stir-frying result in vegetables with a high health benefit. White cabbage and choysum are the most frequently prepared Brassicas. However, broccoli is perceived as the healthiest. The consequences of the various applied preparation techniques on the content of alleged health promoting phytochemicals (glucosinolates) in dishes containing Brassica vegetables are discussed.

• Brassica vegetables
• food service establishment
• household
• preparation practices

Acknowledgements

The authors thank to Albert P. Cahya, Arif Budiyanto, Andi Saputra and Laurina D. Amilia for the survey assistance and to all respondents of the survey.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

P.Y.N. received a scholarship for the PhD project from the Directorate General of Higher Education, Indonesia.